Uconn's Band Invited To Inaugural Parade

Will Uconn Band March In The Inaugural Parade?

December 28, 1992|By SUZANNE SATALINE; Courant Staff Writer

Call it luck, or perhaps just influence in high places, but the University of Connecticut's marching band has received a coveted invitation to march in President-elect Clinton's inaugural parade Jan. 20 in Washington.

Now all the band needs is the money to pay for the trip.

The college estimates it needs $27,000 to send its 170 musicians, its costumed husky dog mascot and band directors in four buses and to put them up overnight, said Robert Gray, dean of the School of Fine Arts. The students were so excited after learning of the opportunity a week ago, they agreed to pay for food if they are allowed to go.

So, while they are supposed to be on winter break, school officials are furiously fundraising. So far, they have raised $6,000, Gray said, and they will be soliciting alumnae and patrons of the school's musical events for donations.

"It's a onceina-lifetime event for the students," Gray said Sunday. The students have all volunteered to come back early from vacation to rehearse, Gray said.

"We've got to pull this off," he said.

UConn may not have not have as strong a connection to the president-elect as Georgetown, Yale or Oxford, but the state university does have Norma Krayem, a 1990 UConn graduate. Krayem is working in Washington as the assistant to the director of events for the inaugural committee. Her boss is Debbie Wilhite, who had been policy director for Connecticut's house Democrats for the past six years.

The committee was supposed to sign a band from every state to march in the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue after the swearingin. But when the list passed Krayem's desk two weeks ago, she noticed that only a few groups from Connecticut had submitted their names.

And UConn wasn't one of them.

The faithful alum quickly called her old boss, state Rep. Jonathan Pelto, D-Mansfield. She had been his administrative

"God forbid somebody was suggesting that they call Yale," Pelto said. "That wasn't, as far we were concerned, Connecticut representation." During the blinding storm and power failures that hit the state two weeks ago, Krayem talked to David Mills, one of the band's directors. By candlelight, he wrote down all the necessary parts of the applications process.

The parade committee viewed the videotape the band sent.

"They loved it," Krayem said. "They thought they were great.

"Connecticut people always talk about our home state and how great it is, and [others] don't always believe it," she said. "But they want the husky dog to come on down."

She said she understands the band is having some trouble coming up with the money -- as are many of the groups that have been invited. But she said it's important that UConn's band take part.

"It is the inaugural parade," Krayem said. "They will go by the president of the United States. I think somehow, some way they will come up with the money. ... I think it's important for the kids, just to get the chance."

Contributions may be sent to the University of Connecticut, Dean of the School of Fine Arts, 875 Coventry Road, Storrs, CT 06269-1128. Make checks payable to the University of Connecticut